Monitoring the composition of a puff from an electronic vaporizer

ABSTRACT

An electronic vaporizer ( 1 ) is disclosed, to vaporize a substance to be inhaled by a user when the user puffs from the vaporizer. The vaporizer is configured to receive a cartridge ( 11 ) with a vaporizable substance and with an identification tag ( 23 ) associated with the composition of the substance. The vaporizer comprises a controller for obtaining a data set comprising a puff duration parameter, and a communications module configured to send the data set and an identification tag of a cartridge coupled to the vaporizer to a puff composition monitoring system. A system and a method for monitoring the composition of at least one puff performed by a user with an electronic vaporizer are also disclosed.

The present disclosure is related to an electronic vaporizer to vaporizea substance to be inhaled by a user when the user puffs from or with thevaporizer, and to a system and method for monitoring the composition ofa puff that a user makes from or with an electronic vaporizer.

BACKGROUND ART

Electronic vaporizers are commonly used as substitutes for cigarettes orpipes nowadays, and consumers can find a wide range of differentdesigns, varying in shape and amount of detachable parts.

Most vaporizers use a cartridge, usually containing a certain amount ofnicotine (amongst other substances) to be transformed into vapor. Theuse of tamper-proof cartridges, which users cannot refill or alter, maybe useful, for example, to estimate the amount of nicotine the userconsumes over a period of time.

Accurate monitoring of the substances inhaled with an electronicvaporizer by a user may be convenient for several purposes, e.g. formedical purposes, when trying to give up smoking, etc., to report thecomposition of the user’s intake.

However, known monitoring systems generally only provide a statisticalor otherwise inaccurate information on the substances and the amountsactually consumed by a user of an electronic vaporizer. In use, somecomponents found inside the cartridge of the vaporizer may evaporateslower or faster, and at different times, depending on differentfactors. Furthermore, in some cases, new components may be formed duringthe vaporization of a substance. For example, the temperature reached bya vaporizer’s atomizer over a period of time, the atomizer being alreadyat a high temperature from a previous puff, or the atomizer being atroom temperature at the start of the puff may affect the way componentsreact, and thus it can vary the composition of the final intake of theuser.

SUMMARY

According to a first aspect of the disclosure, an electronic vaporizeris presented, to vaporize a substance to be inhaled by a user when theuser puffs from the vaporizer, the vaporizer being configured to receivea cartridge, the cartridge comprising a vaporizable substance and anidentification tag associated with the composition of the vaporizablesubstance, the vaporizer comprising:

-   sensor module for reading the identification tag, and for obtaining    vapor generation condition parameters comprising a puff duration    parameter and, optionally, in some examples, a temperature    parameter; and-   a communications module configured to send the vapor generation    condition parameters and an identification tag of a cartridge    coupled to the vaporizer, to a puff composition monitoring system.

In the present disclosure, by vapor generation condition parameters itis meant parameters related to the conditions surrounding the generationof vapor, i.e. at the time at least part of the vaporizable substancecontained in a cartridge becomes vapor by the effect of the operation ofthe electronic vaporizer, to be inhaled by a user. Vapor generationcondition parameters may be, for example, physical, operational orenvironmental parameters.

According to an example, the cartridge received by the vaporizer (whichmay be coupled to the vaporizer) may be pre-filled with a combination ofcompounds, in the form of a vaporizable liquid substance, and sealed bythe manufacturer with an tamper-proof seal, and it may comprise anidentification tag which may be, for example, an RFID tag, a QR code, aBarcode, or other similar identification tags or codes. Therefore, themanufacturer may identify each cartridge with a specific tag, which isassociated to a specific composition of the substance therein, which maynot be altered without breaking the seal.

Liquids with different compositions may react differently while beingvaporized, and vapor generation condition parameters (conditionparameters hereinafter) such as for example the temperature and/orduration of a puff may change the reactions of each different compoundof the liquid vaporizable substance in a different way. For example,some compounds may evaporate slower or faster, and at different times,depending on different factors, or they can sometimes even generate newcompounds. Therefore, a puff composition monitoring system may be ableto obtain the vapor composition of a puff taking into account acondition parameter, for example a parameter associated with thetemperature, and the duration of a puff, and further taking into accounta liquid composition of a vaporizable substance which has not beenaltered from the manufacturers specifications. A puff compositionmonitoring system may be able to compare the condition parameters andthe liquid composition with known data associated with the final vaporcomposition of the vaporizable substance under said conditions and withthat liquid composition. This may render a vapor composition of a puffmore precise than the vapor compositions statistically calculated oraveraged, which a manufacturer may disclose as the vapor composition ofa cartridge. Therefore, monitoring system may determine the compositionof the vapor inhaled by a user using the electronic vaporizer, whenperforming a puff.

According to the disclosure, the vapor generation condition parametersare associated to the conditions under which the puff has beenperformed: for example, they may be associated with a temperature at thetime the puff is performed. More specifically, a temperature parametermay be any parameter related to the temperature at which the vaporizablesubstance vaporizes, or a parameter which can help approximate thistemperature.

This temperature parameter helps determining the vapor composition of apuff (i.e. of a vaporizable substance when its vaporized), because thevapor composition is established by, among other things, the temperatureat which the liquid vaporizes.

Furthermore, the puff duration parameter may be considered the durationthe time in between the activation of the vaporizer (when it starts tovaporize) and its deactivation, which may be measured in differentpossible manners.

According to an example of the disclosure, the vaporizer may furthercomprise an atomizer, the atomizer comprising at least one electricalresistance element configured to be energized in order to vaporize thevaporizable substance, the sensor module receiving the resistance valueof the electrical resistance element.

According to this example, the vaporizer may comprise a body housing anatomizer which, in use, may be coupled to a cartridge comprising avaporizable substance. Such coupling enables the user to vaporize thevaporizable substance by raising its temperature by switching on theatomizer, in order to inhale the vaporizable substance in vapor form.Such switch on may be performed, for example, using an on/off button, orthrough a suction detector which, upon detecting suction pressure on themouthpiece of the vaporizer, it may turn on the atomizer.

According to this example, the atomizer may comprise, for example, anelectrical resistance element in the form of a resistor or set ofresistors, which may be formed as, for example, one or more coilscomprising a cotton piece intertwined therein, the atomizer beingconnected to the controller. Furthermore, the atomizer may be connectedto a power source such as, for example, a battery housed in the body ofthe vaporizer. This way, the user may be able to select the voltageapplied to the electrical resistance element through, for example, aselector button, which in turn may control the electricity flow from thebattery into the electrical resistance element. Such selector may befound alone or in combination with the previously described on/offbutton.

When a voltage is selected, an electrical resistance element with a highresistance will imply less electricity flowing through it. On the otherhand, an electrical resistance element with low resistance will implymore electricity flowing through it, and therefore more heat generatedat the resistance element, thus more vapor may be generated, which maychange the composition of the vapor of the puff (besides likelyproducing a more intense flavour of the puff for the user upon inhalingit). Therefore, the composition of a puff may vary depending on thetemperature of the vaporizable substance when being vaporized, which maychange depending on the voltage and/or electrical resistance elementused.

Furthermore, when the electrical resistance element heats up andvaporizes the liquid vaporizable substance, other compounds from theresistance element itself or from other parts of the interior of theatomizer may also vaporize, thus altering the expected vapor compositionof the resulting puff.

Therefore, when the value of the electrical resistance element isdetected, the temperature parameter may be further detected based on thesensed resistance value and the voltage applied to the electricalresistance element.

More specifically, the sensor module may receive the resistance value ofthe electrical resistance element by detecting it through itsconnection, which, in combination with the applied voltage and, forexample, other vapor generation parameters found in the identificationtag, may be a group of parameters upon which, from empirical data ortemperature calculation, the temperature of the electrical resistanceelement may be deduced, thus obtaining a temperature parameter.

Said other vapor generation condition parameters found in theidentification tag may be the resistance value of the electricalresistance element itself, the material of the resistance element, thematerial of the cotton piece of the resistance element, or even the dateof manufacture of the cartridge, which would indicate the time that theliquid has been therein. All of these vapor generation conditionparameters may be used to deduce the temperature parameter.

Alternatively, the resistance value of the electrical resistance elementmay also be known by the sensor module (for example, it may bepre-recorded inside itself).

The vapor generation condition parameters found in the identificationtag are useful because the vapor composition of a puff may varydepending on the material of the electrical resistance element (in theform of, for example, a coil) and a piece of cotton used in combinationof the electrical resistance element. More specifically, both the coiland the cotton, depending on the temperature they reach, may react andadd new compounds to the vaporized substance, such as metals,formaldehyde, etc... or may even react with other compounds found in theliquid vaporizable substance during the vaporization process, thuschanging the final vapor composition of the puff. The date ofmanufacturing of the cartridge may also be relevant since, after a longperiod of time inside the cartridge, the liquid therein may have reactedwith the air, which may alter the composition of the puffs, whenvaporized.

Also, if a predetermined voltage is applied to the electrical resistanceelement, depending on the suction power, the value of the resistanceelement and/or the material of the resistance element, the temperaturemay also be deduced. Therefore the suction power of a puff and theresistance value and/or material, may be used to deduce the temperature.

This way, the puff composition monitoring system may take into account,for example, the electrical power (deducible from the resistance valueand the voltage applied) used to vaporize the vaporizable substance.

Furthermore, an example of measurement of the puff duration parametermay be the measurement of the time in between the activation anddeactivation of a suction detector as previously described. The puffduration parameter may also be measured, for example, by measuring thetime between the activation of an on/off button of the vaporizer, whichmay switch on and off the electrical resistance element.

Alternatively, according to another example of the disclosure, thevaporizer may further comprise an atomizer, the atomizer comprising atleast one electrical resistance element configured to be energized inorder to vaporize the vaporizable substance, the vaporizer furthercomprising a temperature sensor, the temperature sensor sensing thetemperature of the electrical resistance element.

Sensing the temperature of the electrical resistance element may resultin a useful temperature parameter since the vaporizable substance isheated by the electrical resistance element, and the composition invapor of a puff may vary depending on the sensed temperature.

The temperature of the electrical resistance element, on its own or incombination with the composition of the liquid vaporizable substance, orother known parameters, such as the material of the electricalresistance element, may be helpful to determine the vapor composition ofa puff, since new compounds may be generated depending on the sensedtemperature and, for example, the material of the electrical resistance.

In other examples of a vaporizer as disclosed herein, the vaporgeneration condition parameters obtained by the sensor module of thevaporizer, to be employed to determine a composition inhaled by the userin a puff, may not involve a temperature parameter. Furthermore, suchvapor generation condition parameters may involve one or more of thespecific parameters disclosed in the detailed description below.

Furthermore, according to an example, the electronic vaporizer mayfurther comprise a monitoring module configured to, based on a retrievedpuff composition, monitor the amount of at least one compound foundwithin the vapor generated by the vaporizer. Furthermore, the monitoringmodule may also be programmed to block the delivery of vapor of thevaporizer when a predetermined level or one or more specific compoundshave already been delivered, based on a retrieved puff composition. Suchmonitoring may be performed over a single puff, or may be performed overa determined period of time, when the user may have performed at leastone or more puffs.

This way, the amount of a certain compound which the user inhales may becontrolled, the compound being, for example, a toxic compound foundwithin the vaporizable liquid, or a toxic compound generated in thevaporizing process, whether it was already found on the liquid or in thevaporized composition. Such control may be useful when the vaporizer isused as, for example, a tool to quit smoking, wherein a doctorprescribes a certain amount of nicotine intake per day or week, thusbeing able to limit the nicotine intake by monitoring the real amount ofnicotine delivered to the user. Furthermore, the intake of a compoundmay be gradually reduced instead of blocked, in order to calibrate suchintake depending on the user’s needs or medical record. Such reductionor blockage may be performed by reducing the vapor output of thevaporizer or reducing it gradually.

Alternatively or additionally, the control of other non-toxic compoundsmay also be performed, wherein the compound or compounds may be used as,for example, a prescribed drug. This way, for example, a doctor may beable to program the vaporizer in such a way as to monitor the amount ofa drug delivered to a patient over a period of time.

Such monitoring of the vapor intake of the user, and the intake of oneor more compounds, may be controlled by, for example, changing thevoltage of the vaporizer, thus changing the amount of generated vapor,and/or changing it during a period of time, thus accurately varying theintake of a specific compound or compounds delivered to the user.

Any type of monitoring of any compound within the vapor intake of a usermay be displayed either to a third party (for example, a doctor) or tothe user through, for example, a display found in the electronicvaporizer, or an app on a smartphone, showing the detailed intake of theuser. Such intake may be displayed partially (for example, one specificcompound, or group of compounds of the intake, based on the retrievedpuff compositions) or totally.

Furthermore, the electronic vaporizer may also comprise an electronicdisplay configured to display, for example, the retrieved puffcomposition (for example, the amounts in weight of each compound of thevapor which may have been inhaled by the user), or the vapor generationcondition parameters used to retrieve said puff composition. This way,useful information may be delivered to either the user or, for example,a doctor which may be prescribing a specific treatment for the user, andmay be used for monitoring routines of intake of the user and prescribethe future intake of the user, or modify an existing intake toaccurately treat the user.

Furthermore, the vaporizer may also be configured to use a plurality ofcartridges for delivering a prescribed drug, with a predetermined timeof delivery for each of the cartridges. Therefore, patients which mayneed a strict schedule dosage of a drug and may have difficultiesremembering or performing a normal intake, such as patients with astroke or elder patients, may be able to intake the corresponding drugat the predetermined time by inhaling it through the vaporizer.Furthermore, a placebo cartridge may also be scheduled among theprescribed drug-filled cartridges, to ease the intake within thepatient’s routine.

Several examples of vaporizable liquids may be used to be vaporized byusing the system according to the present disclosure, wherein eachliquid may comprise a different vaporizable composition. An exemplarylist of different embodiments of the present disclosure follows, whereindifferent vaporizable compositions are listed.

In some embodiments, the vaporizable composition comprises anhydrosoluble substance or an hydrosoluble derivative thereof. In someembodiments, the vaporizable composition comprises a glycosylatedsubstance, a polymer derivatized substance and/or a hydrophilicbiopolymer. In some embodiments, the vaporizable composition is apharmaceutical composition comprising a drug or a substance withbiological activity. In some embodiments, the biological activity is forexample analgesic activity, anxiolytic activity, anti-inflammatoryactivity, bronchodilator activity, antidepressant activity orantihypertensive activity. In some embodiments, the drug with analgesicactivity is e.g., Tetrahydrocannabinol. In some embodiments, the drugwith anti-inflammatory activity is a corticosteroid. For example, thecorticosteroid is used for the treatment of a respiratory disease, suchas asthma or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). In someembodiments, the drug with bronchodilator activity is e.g., a beta-2adrenergic agonist. In some embodiments, the drug with bronchodilatoractivity is for example Beclomethasone, Fluticasone, Ciclesonide,Mometasone, Budesonide, Flunisolide, Salmeterol, Formoterol orVilanterol. In some embodiments, the drug with antihypertensive activityis e.g., a beta blocker. Particularly, the drug is e.g., Atenolol. Insome embodiments, the drug with anxiolytic and antidepressant activityis e.g., a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). Particularly,the drug is e.g., Fluoxetine.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a system formonitoring the composition of a puff performed by a user with anelectronic vaporizer is presented, the vaporizer being configured toreceive a cartridge, and the cartridge comprising a vaporizablesubstance and an identification tag of the cartridge, the tag beingtherefore also associated with the composition of the vaporizablesubstance, the system comprising:

-   a repository of mapping between vapor generation condition    parameters and puff compositions, for each identification tag; and-   a controller configured to:    -   receive from the electronic vaporizer the identification tag of        a cartridge coupled to the electronic vaporizer, and vapor        generation condition parameters, the parameters comprising a        puff duration parameter;    -   access the repository of mapping between vapor generation        condition parameters and puff compositions, for each        identification tag;    -   retrieve, from the repository, the puff composition        corresponding to the received vapor generation condition        parameters and the received identification tag.

The electronic vaporizer that may be used in combination with thedisclosed system may be any electronic vaporizer as described herein; itmay also be any other kind of vaporizer suitable for receiving acartridge with a vaporizable composition, and where information may beprovided to the controller of the system about the identification of thecartridge and/or the composition contained in the cartridge. In someembodiments, the vaporizer may be a part of the system.

The repository of the system according to the present disclosure maycomprise puff compositions, which may be compositions in weight (in mg,for example), pre-calculated depending on different vapor generationcondition parameters, for a plurality of different compositions ofdifferent vaporizable substances. The compositions of the plurality ofvaporizable substances are known based on the identification tag, andthe repository has, for each identification tag and therefore for eachliquid vaporizable substance composition, a vapor composition previouslycalculated by testing in a laboratory, such testing involving e.g.vaporizing the vaporizable substance composition under different vaporgeneration condition parameters and combinations thereof.

In some embodiments of the system, the vapor generation conditionparameters comprise a temperature parameter, which may be obtained forexample from a sensor module of the electronic vaporizer, as in someexamples disclosed herein. The vapor generation condition parametersobtained from the electronic vaporizer may not match exactly with thepossible vapor generation condition parameters in the repository, andthus the retrieval may have to be performed by approximating theparameters from the vaporizer to the parameters found in the repository.This approximation may be by averaging the compositions of the closestpossible matching parameters, or by choosing among the compositionsassociated to the repository parameters closer to the parameters fromthe vaporizer.

Furthermore, the system may be distributed in such a way that acontroller may be found in a mobile device (for example a smartphone),the mobile device being connected to the electronic vaporizer, in orderto receive the identification tag and the vapor generation conditionparameters from the electronic vaporizer. Also, the mobile device may beconnected, for example through a wireless connection, to a repository asdescribed, in order to access to it and retrieve the puff composition.

Other possible embodiments of the system may be embodiments wherein thecontroller is comprised in the electronic vaporizer, the controllerreceiving the identification tag and the vapor generation conditionparameters from the modules of the electronic vaporizer (by, forexample, being electrically connected to them in the electronicvaporizer), and the controller being connected, for example through awireless connection, to a repository as described, in order to access toit and retrieve the puff composition.

Furthermore, in other embodiments, such as this previous case, therepository may alternatively be embedded in the electronic vaporizeritself.

This way, by using the system for monitoring the composition accordingto the present disclosure, a precise puff composition corresponding tothe puff performed by a user with an electronic vaporizer as previouslydescribed can be obtained, since more precise compositions have beenpreviously calculated in a laboratory, from actual real vapor of thespecific vaporizable substance being vaporized by the user, andpre-stored in a repository, thus making them more precise thanstatistical approximations or predictions of how the composition of aliquid vaporizable substance will generically be when vaporized as apuff.

According to a further example of the present disclosure, the controllermay be further configured to send the composition of the puff to ahealth monitoring system and/or present the composition of the puff in adisplay of the system.

Such health monitoring system may use the retrieved puff composition orcompositions, from the system according to the present disclosure, tofurther display information related to the health of the user. Moreprecisely, for example, a health monitoring system may use the puffcompositions of the puffs inhaled by a user to monitor the amount ofharmful compounds inhaled by the user, and specifically, for example, tomonitor the nicotine intake of the user. Such nicotine intake may beimportant if the user is trying to quit smoking, and the display of suchdata may be important for the user or for a doctor which monitors a quitplan of a user. Other health monitoring systems may use the compositionsfor further information which may be related to the health of the user,by using the composition of the vapor intake of the user through periodsof time, etc...

Furthermore, according to another example, the controller may further beconfigured to send at least one vapor generation condition parameter toa health monitoring system and/or present the at least one vaporgeneration condition parameter in a display of the system.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method formonitoring the composition of a puff performed by a user with anelectronic vaporizer is presented, the electronic vaporizer beingcoupled to a cartridge comprising a vaporizable substance and anidentification tag associated with the composition of the vaporizablesubstance, the method comprising:

-   obtaining, from the electronic vaporizer:    -   the identification tag of the cartridge; and    -   vapor generation condition parameters comprising a puff duration        parameter representative of the duration of the puff;-   accessing a repository of mapping between vapor generation condition    parameters and puff compositions, for each identification tag;-   retrieving, from the repository, the puff composition corresponding    to the obtained vapor generation condition parameters and to the    identification tag.

By performing the steps of the previously disclosed method, a moreprecise puff composition of the puff made by a user may be obtained,since the obtained puff composition is retrieved from a repositorywherein the real vapor composition of the puff has been taken intoaccount, and not a statistical approximation or prediction based on theliquid composition of the vaporizable substance, and the expectedcomposition of the vapor when the substance is vaporized.

In some embodiments of the method, the vapor generation conditionparameters comprise a temperature parameter, which may be obtained forexample from a sensor module of the electronic vaporizer, as in someexamples disclosed herein.

According to an example of the present disclosure, the vaporizer maycomprise an atomizer with an electrical resistance element, thetemperature parameter being the temperature of the electrical resistanceelement, and the step of obtaining the temperature parameter maycomprise detecting a resistance value of the electrical resistanceelement and determining the temperature parameter based on the detectedresistance and the voltage applied to the electrical resistance element.

According to an alternative example of the present disclosure, thevaporizer may comprise an atomizer with an electrical resistanceelement, the temperature parameter being the temperature of theelectrical resistance element, and the step of obtaining the temperatureparameter may comprise the temperature of the electrical resistanceelement, and determining the temperature parameter based on the sensedtemperature.

According to an example of the disclosure, the method may furthercomprise determining the temperature parameter at a starting time of thepuff.

Taking into account the temperature parameter at the start of the puffmay render the final puff composition more precise, since, for example,the electrical resistance element may be pre-heated before making apuff, and it may vary the final puff composition, compared to theelectrical resistance element being at room temperature.

According to another example of the present disclosure, the method mayfurther comprise sending the retrieved puff composition to a healthmonitoring system and/or to a display of the electronic vaporizer.

According to another example of the present disclosure, the method mayfurther comprise sending at least one vapor generation conditionparameter to a health monitoring system and/or to a display of theelectronic vaporizer.

According to an example of the present disclosure, the method mayfurther comprise repeating, for each puff of the user with theelectronic vaporizer, the step of obtaining vapor generation conditionparameters comprising, at least, a puff duration parameter and atemperature parameter, and the steps of accessing the repository andretrieving the puff composition from the repository; and sending theindividual puff compositions, or the composition resulting from aplurality of puffs, to a health monitoring system and/or to a display ofthe electronic vaporizer.

This way, a precise monitoring of the real vapor composition of theintake of a user (which may perform several puffs), by inhaling itthrough an electronic vaporizer, may be achieved in real time.

According to another example of the disclosure, the repository mayfurther map the vapor generation condition parameters and the puffcompositions, for each identification tag, with at least one additionalparameter selected from the manufacturing date of the cartridge, thematerial of the electrical resistance element, the material of a cottonpiece of the atomizer, or the suction power of the puff.

According to a further example of the disclosure, at least some of theadditional parameters may be comprised in the identification tag.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, a computer programproduct is presented, comprising instructions which, when the program isexecuted by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the steps of themethod previously described.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, a computer-readablestorage medium is presented, comprising instructions which, whenexecuted by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the steps of themethod previously described.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partially exploded view of an example of an electronicvaporizer of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2A is a perspective view of an example of a cartridge of thepresent disclosure, and FIG. 2B is an exploded view of the example ofthe previous figure.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an example of a cartridge of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 4 is a perspective of the body of an electronic vaporizer of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 5 illustrates the system for monitoring the composition of at leastone puff, according to the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of an example of an electronic vaporizer 1according to the present disclosure, the vaporizer comprising a body 12and a detachable cartridge 11. The body 12 houses a battery (not shown)and a controller (not shown), and it receives the cartridge 11 throughan opening 15 at one end of the body 12. In this specific embodiment,the cartridge comprises a liquid container 22 with a vaporizablesubstance, and an atomizer with an electrical resistance element (notshown) which is used to vaporize the vaporizable substance of thecartridge. Furthermore, the body 12 comprises an on/off button 14, usedto switch on and off the atomizer.

On the other hand, the controller comprises a sensor module, which maybe built-in in the controller, to obtain a data set comprising vaporgeneration condition parameters. Furthermore, the controller may alsocomprise a built-in communications module to send the obtained data setto a puff composition monitoring system.

FIGS. 2A and 2B show the cartridge 11, which has a mouthpiece 21 throughwhich the user inhales the vapor, and an atomizer 32 which, as seen inthe exploded view of FIG. 2B, further comprises an electrical resistanceelement in the form of a resistor (found inside the atomizer 32), which,when the cartridge is coupled to the body 12 of the vaporizer, is usedto heat the liquid of the liquid container 22 in order to vaporize it,the resistance being formed as a coil, and further comprising a cottonpiece placed along the coil, to help to vaporize the liquid. Theatomizer has an electrical connector 24 which, when the cartridge iscoupled to the body of the vaporizer, connects the atomizer to thebattery of the vaporizer.

The cartridge further comprises a liquid container 22, which istamper-proof, which contains the liquid to be vaporized. Examples ofsuch cartridge may be the commercially available cartridges by JUUL LABS™ and myBLU ™. In this example, the cartridge is tamper-proof so userscannot refill or alter the liquid inside the liquid container 22.Furthermore, the mouthpiece has several holes to let air flow into theatomizer so a puff can be done. The cartridge also further comprises amagnet coupling (not shown) to keep the cartridge fastened to thevaporizer’s body, and a suction detector 25, which, when the cartridgeis coupled to the vaporizer, is connected to the controller, to detectwhen the user is suctioning vapor through the mouthpiece 21, and/or thesuction power of the puff of a user.

In this example, when the cartridge 11 is coupled to the body 12 of thevaporizer, the resistor of the atomizer 32 is further connected to thecontroller through its sensor module, which senses the resistortemperature. This way, when sensing the temperature of the resistor, avery good measurement is achieved, since a built-in temperature sensorin the controller can easily detect an accurate temperature measurementof an electrical device connected to itself. Further vapor generationcondition parameters are obtained through the sensor module of thecontroller. Also, the suction power of a puff can be detected throughthe suction detector 25, which, when the cartridge 11 is coupled to thebody 12 of the vaporizer is also connected to the sensor module, thusallowing the controller to detect when the user starts to suction (whena puff starts) and/or the suction power of a puff performed by a user.Further condition parameters will be described further on.

Furthermore, the cartridge 11 also comprises an identification tag 23,in the form of an RFID tag. This way, when the cartridge 11 is coupledto the body 12 of the vaporizer, the sensor module of the controller isable to obtain the identification from the RFID tag 23.

FIG. 3 shows another view the base of the cartridge 11, wherein the RFIDtag 23, the electrical connector 24 of the atomizer and the suctiondetector 25 can be seen in more detail.

FIG. 4 shows a further view of the body 12 of the vaporizer, whichcomprises, at the receiving end of the body, an electrical connector 27,which receives the atomizer’s electrical connector 24, in order toconnect the resistor both to the battery of the vaporizer and to thecontroller. Furthermore, the body 12 also comprises a connector 26which, when the cartridge 11 is coupled to the body 12, connects thesuction detector 25 of the cartridge 11 to the sensor module of thevaporizer’s controller. This way, the controller can detect when a useris suctioning vapor from the atomizer, through the mouthpiece, and/orthe suction power of a puff.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a health monitoring system, whichincorporates a puff composition monitoring system according to thepresent disclosure. An electronic vaporizer 1 according to an example ofthe present disclosure, is connected through a wireless network 32 to amobile device 31, wherein the network 32 may be the Internet, and themobile device 31 may be a smartphone comprising a health monitoring app,in this case, for a doctor to remotely monitor the evolution of asmoking quit plan of the user of the vaporizer. Alternatively, thesmartphone 31 may also be used by the user himself, in order to receiveinformation about his vapor intake evolution while using the electronicvaporizer 1.

The smart phone 31 is also connected via a wireless network 30, whichmay also be the Internet, to a puff composition repository 33, which inthis example is a puff composition database 33, as previously describedin the present disclosure.

The puff composition database 33 comprises a plurality of identificationtags, each one being associated with a cartridge 11 and a knowncomposition of the liquid found in the cartridge 11. For eachidentification tag, i.e. for each cartridge, the database has aplurality of vapor compositions obtained by testing in a laboratory,with different vapor generation conditions and their corresponding vaporgeneration condition parameters.

Each of the plurality of vaporized substance compositions is classifiedassociated to a plurality or set of vapor generation conditionparameters of the puff. Such set of possible condition parameters mayhave been replicated in a laboratory, vaporizing each liquid compositionwith each possible condition parameter of a set of condition parameters(i.e. performing puffs under different conditions), and measuring theexact vapor composition in weight for each specific combination among aset of possible combinations, thus obtaining a puff composition (fromthe vaporized vaporizable substance, hence a composition in weight, invapor form), corresponding to each combination of vapor generationcondition parameters selected from the set.

That is, for example, a group of known liquid substances (i.e., theircompositions are known due to the cartridges being identified by theiridentification tag from the manufacturer), have been vaporized in alaboratory, performing a pre-set number of possible puffs, with apre-set number of possible durations each puff, with a pre-set number ofdifferent temperatures, etc...

Such possible vapor generation condition parameters may be selected fromthe following open list:

-   Temperature of the coil;-   Resistance value of the coil (for example, in ohms);-   Power applied to the coil (in Watts or Voltage and Resistance of the    coil);-   Duration of the puff (in seconds);-   Resistance material (the system may take into account a    preestablished set of possible materials);-   Oxygen level within the tank, and amount of time that the substance    found within the cartridge has been in contact with the liquid    within the tank (for example, if the cartridge has been left    half-empty for ten days, nicotine may oxidize and form nitrosamine    compounds, which are mostly carcinogenic).-   Manufacturing date of the cartridge (obtained through the    identification tag of the cartridge). The same may happen as in the    above case, where the nicotine found in the liquid of the cartridge    may oxidize (slower, since in case of the cartridge being new, there    is less air inside the liquid container), and nitrosamine compounds    may be formed after weeks.-   Suction power: a measurement of the power of the airflow, or the    quantity of air suctioned or inhaled by the user in a puff or in a    period of time, which can be measured in, for example Kpa, Watts,    Amps, CFM (cubic feet per minute) or AW (Air Watts). This parameter    may increase the precision of the obtaining of the composition. For    example, a user may press an on/off button of the vaporizer (thus    switching on the resistor of the atomizer) but may not be sucking    air for 5 seconds. Meanwhile, the resistor may have increased its    temperature, but no vaporizable substance may have been actually    vaporized. Therefore, taking suction power into account, false puff    detections may be avoided. Also, the resistance’s temperature may    have increased faster than if the atomizer was vaporizing the liquid    substance. Furthermore, if the user has suctioned air during only    part of the puff duration, some liquid substance may have been stuck    in the atomizer and, when the puff is finished, it may go back to    the liquid container, to be vaporized further on. Combining the    measurement of the suction power with the use of only a suction    detector to switch on and off the atomizer may decrease dramatically    the false detection of puffs, and other composition changes of the    liquid and/or vaporized substance.

Depending on the variation of such condition parameters, the componentsof the inhaled vapor may vary in different degrees. Therefore, athorough laboratory analysis of the vaporization of a set of vaporizablesubstances (whose composition is fixed and are associated with a knownidentification tag) under an array of possible condition parameters,forms a database of possible vapor puff compositions. This way, a usermay perform several puffs under several circumstances (measured withparameters, i.e. from the above open list of parameters, among otherpossible condition parameters) which have been previously studied underthe same circumstances, and whose compositions can be retrieved from thedatabase.

Therefore, in use, a set of condition parameters is obtained through thesensor module of the controller of the electronic vaporizer 1, and theidentification tag form the cartridge. Then, both the obtained set andthe identification tag are sent through the communications module of thecontroller of the vaporizer 1 to the smartphone 31 in the form of a dataset, through Internet connection 32. The following chart shows anexample of a data set obtained by the electronic vaporizer 1 and sent,according to the example of the present disclosure, to the smartphone31. Once the smartphone receives the data set, it uses it to retrieve acorresponding vapor composition of the corresponding puffs made by theuser, from the puff composition database 33, through Internet connection30.

DATA RECEIVED FROM THE CONTROLLER Puff Number e Liquid Composition CodeWatts Coil Ohms Volts Coil Temperature Suction Power Duration 1 CQ01022017 W 1.00 ohms 4.12 V 210° C. 10 kpa 2 seconds 2 CQ020210 17 W 1.00 ohms4.12 V 220° C. 15 kpa 3 seconds 3 CQ020220 15 W 1.00 ohms 3.87 V 200° C.12 kpa 3 seconds

In this example, the Coil Temperature is the temperature reached by thecoil of the vaporizer’s atomizer at the end of the puff, but othertemperatures may be taken into account, such as the temperature of thecoil at the beginning of the puff, or an average temperature between thebeginning and the end of the puff.

Also, the e Liquid Composition Code is the identification tag of thecartridge, in order to identify a liquid composition of the vaporizablesubstance found in the liquid container of the cartridge.

Alternative or additional parameters may be, for example, the time whena puff is done and the location of the user at that time (based on itsgeolocalization). These parameters may help to determine consumptionhabits or patterns of the user, thus helping a doctor to design a properprescription for the user. The following chart shows an example of saidcondition parameters.

PATIENT BEHAVIOR DATA Puff Number 1 2 3 Time 9:10 19:34 20:30 Geotag41.3887901, 2.1589899 41.3887901, 2.1589899 41.3887901, 2.1589899

According to this example, in a non-restrictive way, the following listof components may be detected in laboratory conditions under all thedescribed parameters:

Nicotine, Ethylene Glycol, Diethylene Glycol, Formaldehyde,Acetaldehyde, Acrolein, Cronotaldehyde, Specific nitrosamines fromtobacco, Cadmium, Chrome, Copper, Lead, Nickel, Arsenic, Toluene,Benzene, “1,3-Butadiene”, Isoprene, Diacetyl, Acetyl Propionyl, VitaminE Acetate, Acetoin, Benzaldehyde, Butyric Acid, Furfuraldehyde,Isobutyric acid, Propionaldehyde, “2,3-Pentanedione”, Propionic acid,“2,3-Hexanedione”, “3,4-Hexanedione”

The following chart shows an example of puff compositions in weight,retrieved from a puff composition database 33 according to the presentexample.

VAPOR EMISSIONS RESULTS (mg) Puff Number 1 2 3 Nicotine 0.08 0.0790.0812 Ethylene Glycol 0.1 0.099 0.101 Diethylene Glycol 0.1 0.0990.1012 Formaldehyde 0.001 0 0.0022 Acetaldehyde 0.002 0 0.0032 Acrolein0 0 0.0012 Cronotaldehyde 0 0 0.0012 Specific nitrosamines from tobacco0.001 0 0.005 Cadmium 0 0 0 Chrome 0 0 0 Copper 0 0 0 Lead 0.0005 0.00050 Nickel 0 0 0 Arsenic 0 0 0 Toluene 0 0 0.0012 Benzene 0.008 0 0.00921,3-Butadiene 0.007 0.0005 0.008 Isoprene 0.001 0 0.003 Diacetyl 0 00.01 Acetyl Propionyl 0 0 0 Vitamin E Acetate 0 0 0 Acetoin 0 0 0Benzaldehyde 0 0 0 Butyric Acid 0 0 0 Furfuraldehyde 0 0 0 Isobutyricacid 0.0005 0.0005 0 Propionaldehyde 0 0 0.0012 2,3-Pentanedione 0 00.006 Propionic acid 0 0 0 2,3-Hexanedione 0 0 0 3,4-Hexanedione 0.00020.0005 0

By using the puff composition monitoring system of the example of thepresent disclosure, a more precise analysis of the components that theuser has inhaled is achieved, since the composition is obtained takinginto account the emission of vapor, and not an approximation of theresulting vapor composition based on the liquid composition of thevaporizable substance (i.e. previous to being vaporized).

A larger amount of condition parameters of the puffs associated with theelectronic vaporizer 1, will result in a more precise (and closer toreality) vapor composition actually inhaled by the user. Such vaporcomposition may vary depending on the use of the electronic vaporizer 1:for example, a large amount of short puffs may result in a differentvapor composition of the inhaled substance, compared to fewer but longerpuffs, vaporizing the same amount and type of liquid vaporizablesubstance.

Furthermore, the vapor composition may also vary depending on the typeof cotton of the coil of the atomizer, or the material of the coil. Forexample, if the vaporizable liquid runs low, and the cotton of theatomizer cannot absorb enough liquid or its been over-used, the lastpuffs may comprise a higher amount of formaldehyde than the first ones(when the cartridge is full of liquid), thus making them more toxic forthe user. Also, in such a case, the resistor may overheat and maypartially burn part of the cotton in contact with it, thus producingmore harmful metal components. In this cases, new components not foundin the liquid itself may be formed, thus severely changing the expectedvapor compositions of those puffs.

Another example may be when a liquid is subject to differenttemperatures in order to be vaporized: the amounts of compounds of thevapor, and hence its composition, may vary, since some compounds of theliquid may vaporize while other may carbonize. Sometimes, after heavyuse of the vaporizer, the coil may be dirty, and compounds may form acrust, sticking to the coil and burning in such a way that they generatenew compounds due to carbonization. Such new compounds may alsosubstitute the compounds expected to be generated when the vaporizablesubstance is only vaporized. In some cases, carbonization may formextremely toxic unexpected compounds which do not normally form undernormal vaporization conditions.

In summary, the commonly used calculation of expected inhaled vaporcomposition made by manufacturers, which is normally displayed asinformation enclosed with the cartridge, may not be close to the finalreal inhalation made by a user.

The health monitoring system of FIG. 5 may have alternative embodiments,wherein the obtained composition of one or more puffs may be used asinformation to achieve different goals.

For example, the puff composition monitoring system of the presentdisclosure may be used as part of a system for quitting smoking. Suchsystem could be used by the patient in the form of a reward and/ormotivational app or could be controlled by a doctor as part of a plan toquit smoking of a patient.

In these systems, the monitoring of the composition of a user’s vaporintake is used to account the nicotine consumption of a user, over aperiod of time. Therefore, a detailed log of nicotine intake may beuseful to regulate the number of cartridges or the type of cartridgesused by the smoker who is trying to quit smoking by using an electronicvaporizer. More specifically, patterns on his vapor intake may indicatethat a first prescription of a type and amount of cartridges for theuser may not be convenient since the user’s nicotine consumption, due toseveral condition parameters (some or all of the ones taken into accountin the monitoring of the composition of the puffs of the presentdisclosure), may result in a higher nicotine intake than the prescribedone.

This way, a Doctor (or the user himself) can change the number or typeof cartridges used in order to achieve the goal of a (smoking) “quitplan”. For example, a common amount of prescribed nicotine usually is 40mg per day, but due to, for example, the user’s type of puffs (short andcontinuous ones), a prescribed number of cartridges which usuallyresults in such intake, may be in fact resulting in a higher nicotineintake (and/or the intake of other harmful substances).

Such nicotine intake log may be displayed, for example, in an app of aphone, either of the user or of the Doctor. The app may show an intakerecord, which may be helpful to determine, for example, the nextnicotine prescription.

Besides nicotine, the log may be used to detect further substances whichmay cause allergies to the user, unbeknownst to himself. This way,intake data may be cross-referenced with allergies symptoms in order topinpoint which component or components the user is allergic to.

Also, in another example, the app may display the evolution of thepatient’s health from the moment a quit plan is started until it isfinished. The app may compare, for example, spirometry data, blood flowor other similar health parameters, obtained at the beginning of a quitplan and the same data obtained after the plan is over. This way, theresults of said health parameters may be compared with more precisevapor compositions, thus making a more precise correlation cause-effectbetween health parameters and what has actually been inhaled by thepatient.

A portable spirometry kit could be attached to the electronic vaporizer,in order for the controller to obtain a spirometry-related healthparameter and send it to a health monitoring system, to be used in acorrelation study with the vapor compositions of a period of time.

Therefore, in general, a doctor may be able to remotely trace moreprecisely the effect of a specific intake of vapor by the user (with aspecific vapor composition), correlating any health parameter with aprecise intake vapor composition of the user, obtaining many possiblehealth studies.

Furthermore, the same health studies can be used as a motivational toolfor the user, in order to quit smoking, when displayed in aninformational app in, for example, a mobile device. Therefore, all thedata of any health study obtained by using the user’s intake vaporcomposition over periods of time, can be shown to the user in a graphicmanner, and can be linked to information about the health effects ofsuch data, by using general health data related to the specific healthstudy of the user. Such general health data may be in the form ofmedical articles, studies, papers, news and other related informationrelevant to the user.

It can also be compared to the previous user’s intake of tobacco,comparing the user’s health studies before and after starting using theelectronic vaporizer, and the differences in the user’s intake. Thisway, the user may have been smoking fifteen cigarettes a day, with aspecific intake smoke composition, and now it may be intaking an amountof vapor with a less harmful intake vapor composition, which canmotivate the user to keep using the vaporizer instead of smokingcigarettes and, for example, follow a doctor’s prescription.

1. A system for monitoring the composition of a puff performed by a userwith an electronic vaporizer, the vaporizer being configured to receivea cartridge (11), the cartridge comprising a vaporizable substance andan identification tag (23) associated with the composition of thevaporizable substance, the system comprising: a repository (33) ofmapping between vapor generation condition parameters and puffcompositions, for each identification tag; a controller configured to:receive from the electronic vaporizer (1) the identification tag (23) ofa cartridge (11) coupled to the electronic vaporizer (1), and vaporgeneration condition parameters, the parameters comprising a puffduration parameter; access the repository (33) of mapping between vaporgeneration condition parameters and puff compositions, for eachidentification tag; retrieve, from the repository (33), the puffcomposition corresponding to the received vapor generation conditionparameters and the received identification tag.
 2. The system accordingto claim 1, wherein the vapor generation condition parameters receivedfrom the electronic vaporizer (1) further comprise a temperatureparameter.
 3. The system according to any of claims 1 or 2, wherein thecontroller is further configured to send the composition of the puff toa health monitoring system and/or present the composition of the puff ina display of the system.
 4. A method for monitoring the composition of apuff performed by a user with an electronic vaporizer (1), theelectronic vaporizer (1) being coupled to a cartridge (11) comprising avaporizable substance and an identification tag (23) associated with thecomposition of the vaporizable substance, the method comprising:obtaining, from the electronic vaporizer (1): the identification tag(23) of the cartridge (11); and vapor generation condition parameterscomprising a puff duration parameter representative of the duration ofthe puff; accessing a repository (33) of mapping between vaporgeneration condition parameters and puff compositions, for eachidentification tag; retrieving, from the repository (33), the puffcomposition corresponding to the obtained vapor generation conditionparameters and to the identification tag (23).
 5. The method accordingto claim 4, wherein the vapor generation condition parameters furthercomprise a temperature parameter.
 6. The method according to claim 5,wherein the vaporizer comprises an atomizer (32) with an electricalresistance element, the temperature parameter being the temperature ofthe electrical resistance element, and obtaining the temperatureparameter comprises detecting a resistance value of the electricalresistance element and determining the temperature parameter based onthe detected resistance and the voltage applied to the electricalresistance element.
 7. The method according to claim 5, wherein thevaporizer comprises an atomizer (32) with an electrical resistanceelement, the temperature parameter being the temperature of theelectrical resistance element, and obtaining the temperature parametercomprises sensing the temperature of the electrical resistance element,and determining the temperature parameter based on the sensedtemperature.
 8. The method according to any of claims 5 to 7, comprisingdetermining the temperature parameter at a starting time of the puffand/or at the end time of the puff.
 9. The method according to any ofclaims 4 to 8, further comprising sending the retrieved puff compositionto a health monitoring system and/or to a display of the electronicvaporizer.
 10. The method according to any of claims 4 to 9, wherein therepository (33) further maps the vapor generation condition parametersand the puff compositions, for each identification tag, with at leastone additional parameter selected from the manufacturing date of thecartridge, the material of the electrical resistance element, thematerial of a cotton piece of the atomizer, or the suction power of thepuff.
 11. A computer program product comprising instructions which, whenthe program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry outthe steps of the method of any of claims 4 to
 10. 12. Acomputer-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, whenexecuted by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the steps of themethod of any of claims 4 to
 10. 13. An electronic vaporizer (1) tovaporize a substance to be inhaled by a user when the user puffs fromthe vaporizer, the vaporizer being configured to receive a cartridge(11), the cartridge comprising a vaporizable substance and anidentification tag (23) associated with the composition of thevaporizable substance, the vaporizer comprising: a sensor module forreading the identification tag (23), and for obtaining vapor generationcondition parameters comprising a puff duration parameter; and acommunications module configured to send the vapor generation conditionparameters and the identification tag (23) of a cartridge (11) coupledto the vaporizer, to a puff composition monitoring system.
 14. Theelectronic vaporizer (1) according to claim 13, wherein the vaporgeneration condition parameters obtained by the sensor module furthercomprise a temperature parameter.
 15. The electronic vaporizer (1)according to claim 14, wherein the vaporizer (1) further comprises anatomizer (32), the atomizer comprising at least one electricalresistance element configured to be energized in order to vaporize thevaporizable substance, wherein the sensor module obtains the temperatureparameter by obtaining the temperature of the electrical resistanceelement, or receiving the resistance value of the electrical resistanceelement.
 16. The system according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein thepuff compositions mapped within the repository comprise the amount inweight of at least one compound.
 17. The system according to claim 2,wherein the temperature parameter corresponds to the temperature of thevapor at the beginning and/or the end of the puff.
 18. The electronicvaporizer (1) according to claim 14, wherein the temperature parametercorresponds to the temperature of the vapor at the beginning and/or theend of the puff.
 19. The electronic vaporizer (1) according to any ofclaim 13 to 15, wherein the vaporizer (1) further comprises anelectronic display configured to display the retrieved puff composition.20. The electronic vaporizer (1) according to claim 19, wherein theelectronic display is configured to display at least one vaporgeneration condition parameter used to retrieve the puff composition.